For the last few years about this time (two weeks before Christmas), King's College in Cambridge, England, quietly posts the leaflet for their Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
The 2007 leaflet [PDF - 247 KB] was posted today.
The bidding carol, "Glory, alleluia to the Christ Child!", is by Alan Bullard (b. 1947). You can view the first page of this carol [PDF - 50 KB] from Oxford University Press. An MP3 sample [785 KB] reveals a little more.
The first carol after the Second Lesson is accompanied by a note indicating that it was transcribed by Emma Disley while the choir was on tour.
The College's commissioned carol follows the Third Lesson. It is "Stardust and vaporous light" composed by Australian composer Brett Dean. The carol probably will not be available from Boosey & Hawkes until some time next year.
An Arvo Part commission from 1990 surfaces after the Fifth Lesson.
After the Sixth Lesson is Elgar's "I sing the birth was born tonight". We'll have to check past leaflets, but we think it has been some time since this carol has been part of the service. Perhaps its inclusion has to do with the sesquicentennial of Elgar's birth?
The new material doesn't stop with choral music. The second concluding voluntary is a "Sortie on 'In dulci jubilo'" composed for the service by David Briggs.
Labels: church music, King's College (Cambridge)
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